It's Just Us
by lunatic.meap
Summary: A series of oneshots and drabbles of SasuSaku (including all my previous works on this couple).
1. Misfortunate Sunday

**A/N: Believe it or not i wrote this in May and forgot it existed until now. And my dog is currently staring at me type and eat my chips. BTW, I kinda fell out of the Naruto fandom and been into reading a bunch DC Comics stuff lately.**

Original post date: 27/12/2016

* * *

 ** _Prompt: Dance_**

It was a shitty day.

And _shitty_ was an understatement; everything was wrong since the minute Sasuke tripped on the way to the bathroom. Yes, it was entirely not his own fault that he happened to trip over the non-existing collection of books he owns.

He cursed under his breath as he - in a way - was horribly rid of his sleepiness and stomped to the bathroom once more. He got on with his normal routine, only to realise that he had just ran out of soap the night before. He groaned - he was already soaked under the shower head before he realised his lack of supplies.

He almost dragged himself to the kitchen to get his breakfast together - or more likely, last night's leftovers. And surprisingly, his breakfast was going to be delightful enough… until he accidentally spilled his mug of tea over it.

If he was anyone but Naruto, he would probably ignore the spilt tea and just eat his tea soaked and soggy breakfast. But Sasuke was not Naruto, and he never will be, so he threw the food into the trash - wasteful, but who would eat it? - and headed out, reminding himself to stop by the grocer for an apple.

* * *

Sundays meant no C ranks below missions were to be given, so most of the shinobis of the Konohagakure were either trying to spend their day off with their family or not being productive. The same couldn't be applied to Sasuke because, well, his entire family is quite buried underground. And unless he wanted to catch up with them over lunch, he would be meeting Naruto for some 'bonding' time.

('Bonding' was a fancy way that the Rokudaime Hokage called the boys' 'ridiculous competing'.)

And all was well until someone came up with the brilliant idea of jumping into the training field in the middle of their spar.

If it was Kakashi, Sasuke wouldn't worry too much - the man would know how to avoid the two most destructive psychos that he taught (he wouldn't even jump into the middle of their spar to begin with). If it was Sakura, she would also know how to avoid the two maniacs' paths - she should with all her time studying under the Godaime (Sakura too is not suicidal enough).

But the sad fact was that it was neither of them (the Rokudaime and Konoha's best Medical-nin had far more important things to do), it was instead one of Naruto's many fangirls.

For the nth time since he got back from his redemption journey, he wished he could just be his old teenage self where he cared not if someone died, because he would very much prefer to throw those fangirls under tsukiyomi and make them cry with his infamous glare. Naruto said otherwise, therefore Sasuke had to keep his trap shit as the idiot tries to sort out things by himself.

But as the ball of fire crossed to the field and Naruto was at a distance that may prevent him from reaching the girl on time, Sasuke had to take the burden of saving the frozen in fear fangirl (unless he wanted human barbecue for supper, which is another story). He quickly swapped place with the nearest leaf to the girl, grabbed her by the waist with his only arm and ran out of the line of fire - quite literally.

Which was also the reason why he was hanging upside down on a tree by one of Naruto's many stupid and obvious traps - obvious when he wasn't so preoccupied with avoiding a fireball with a girl who kept on screaming into his ears.

He was burning in suppressed rage and humiliation as he waited for Naruto - who was crying in his laugh - to cut the chakra infused string because having of course the fangirl had to make it difficult to move his only hand anywhere, not to mention creating chakra blades to cut anything.

Lunch also included endless jokes and humiliation at Ichiraku's because Naruto will never miss the opportunity to share the tales of that morning. So it wouldn't be surprising for Sasuke to snap and practically destroy anything within a half a meter distance to the dodging Naruto. Next thing he knew, Sasuke was almost falling off his chair in the Hokage's office, waiting for his old sensei to file a punishment for his former student's _destruction of public property._

Kakashi almost sighed, looking across to the very mad Uchiha. Rage and annoyment was the most obvious thing in the eyes of the former student and he was almost scowling at the Hokage and the window - to which no one understands why. If he was any less of an Uchiha, he would be spouting profanities at the predicaments of his situations, as well as the events leading up to it.

"D- ranks for a week," the Hokage deemed it enough torture for him.

Sasuke got up without a sound, face still holding the scowl, and began to head out of the office. He was mentally making a checklist for the numerous painful things he would do to Naruto because he apparently landed no good hits on the blond during his rampage.

Naturally being too deep in your thoughts can be a bad thing as the door bursted open and a three man cell of genin and their jonin instructor followed with a slightly worried look. And Kakashi was used to it: people naturally barge into his office to deliver news (and it wasn't like he would need to lock his door for some sort of perverted secretive activities. He _was_ already reading Jiraiya's legendary novels in front of his twelve year old genins all those years back). But this time he was even more worried than the jonin instructor as he watch his former student be knocked back by the door, and once more slapped in the head by a giant frozen solid fish.

Sometimes Kakashi pity Sasuke and his bad luck.

"Sasuke?" he asked, receiving no response from the man now lying on the ground, he stood up and stooped over his desk to check. "Are you alright?"

The said man sat up and stared at him almost blankly. "Maybe you should visit the hospital," the grey haired man advised.

Sasuke said nothing as he staggered out of the office, closing the door behind him. He walked slowly to the door leading to the bathroom, opened it, and began to hurl the content of his lunch into the nearest toilet bowl. Only when he finished did he made his way slow journey to the hospital.

* * *

 _Concussion. Fan-fucking-tastic!_

Getting a concussion isn't fun, nor is the twenty-four hours afterwards that would confine him to no training or any sort of strenuous physical activities.

Sasuke stared at the florescent light of the ceiling (which isn't wise considering how sensitive to light at the moment), anything to rid his boredom until he is marked well enough to leave. He really wanted to just go home and spend the rest of the evening hoping the 00:00 mark would come to rid him of the awful day he had.

So every fifteen minutes or so, he would pester the nurse and ask for his release - he could just jump out the window and walk home, but Sakura would never let him hear the end of it if he left without being let out. _Okay,_ so maybe some of Naruto's bad traits did rub off on him, and after the third time asking, the nurse snapped and refused to respond to any questions later.

The rest of the afternoon was spent waiting and waiting for his boredom to end, which he thanked god it finally did when Sakura walked in at the end of her shift to check on him.

"Hey," she smiled lightly at him. It was warm, like the locok she held in her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Bored," he replied simply, his eyes pleading for her to get him out, however.

She laughed, "I'll check you out, then maybe we can go home."

The medic-nin was known for her skills and rank within the hospital, so it only took so much time before they were walking on the streets of Konoha back to their shared place. They were silent through dinner, simply because Sasuke didn't have stories to tell and Sakura saw the tiredness in his eyes. He was practically moping over the table despite the nice walk home.

Sometimes Sasuke was like this and Sakura knew well enough that he would be silent until the next day, or when he does speak, it would be curt and closed, cutting off all possibilities for a conversation.

There were only so many things that Sakura can do about it. One, being to give him tie before he will let her in again. The other was to just not talk but act, which she preferred more. So she took his hand in hers after dinner and dragged him to an space in their apartment.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a wary tone.

"Dance with me," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He sighed as he place his single arm around her waist, and they swayed lightly to a silent melody.

The crescent moon could hardly illuminate anything but it seemed to be enough to sweep through their apartment and light their steps. Sasuke rested his chin on her hair, where he can smell the floral fragrance of her shampoo and made her hair as soft as the wispy clouds. He loved to weave his hand through her locks in the morning and slowly untangle the mess created from her tossing on the pillow the night before. It was also one of the few rare moments where both of them felt silence was welcoming.

They stayed like that for a long time, before he finally released his grip from her. His gaze swept over the woman with the hair colour of her namesake, and the deep green eyes that reminds him of the fields of green in spring and summer. She was the the only woman to annoy him with her stubbornness, scare him with her bravery and selflessness. And when she fell, he would catch her, just as he knew if he were to collapse right there, she would do the same for him.

He leaned down to kiss her, muttering a word of gratitude. In the pale soft moonlight, standing next to her, it seemed that the day wasn't so bad after all.


	2. Departure

_**Author's Note**_ _ **:**_ **I unintentionally made wrote these small little ideas down on how the blank period would have gone for my OTP (most fics are unintentional, though). Funny enough, the other day when I was trying to draw them (which I admit, is something I'm not very good at), I thought, "Yup, I need to name my drawings." And 'Departure', was the name of the drawing, which told me, "Hm, how about you make a small little oneshot on it." So I wrote it down, and threw it alongside the drawing. And after adding a few extra bits here and there when I typed it up on the computer, it is done!**

* * *

The first time he departed was a year after the war. They were friends, then, teammates who had made up; maybe a little more, but definitely not together. She asked to come with him, but he rejected, for his journey of redemption is his alone to take. She was disappointed, a little bit sad, and he gave her a poke to the forehead, the same way his brother had always done for him. He said he'd see her soon. And unlike how his brother had always broken his promise, Sasuke planned to keep his.

* * *

"I'll see you soon," he said, poking her lightly in the forehead. She wasn't sure how to react, but her blush was definite. She almost thought that it was a tease at first; she was always teased for her gigantic forehead as a child. She had stopped worrying about her forehead ages ago, but it still gave her a sort of annoyance when someone mentions it. Not from him, however. Strangely, never from him.

* * *

He came back for a visit 2 years later, and was greeted warmly by his friends, including her. He had grown taller, very tall for that matter, and was now at least a head taller than her. She had grown so much more beautiful in his absence. Her height had increased somewhat unremarkably, but she changed her hair, he noticed. No longer was it choppy, it was now cherry blossom silk framing her delicate features. She smiled more, he also noticed, and he could have sworn her eyes become greener when she does. They talked, like longtime friends, because they are. They grew closer. She would sometimes bring breakfast over to his place – cooking with one arm is a challenge, so he'd much rather let someone else do it – and they would just take a walk at sunset every once in awhile, just talking. He stayed for 1 month before leaving. This time, he gave her a poke, and was returned with a hug which he gratefully took.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun."

"Hn?"

"How long will you be staying this time?"

"…"

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Let's not worry about that for now."

A smile crept upon her lips.

"Okay," she said as the sun began to make its approach towards the horizon, tinting the colour of everything with an amber glow. _He looks so at peace,_ she thought.

"Sakura."

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

* * *

He returned a year later, greeted by the same friends, and caught up to the latest gossips – courtesy of her, of course. He saw her again, and they went out for several dinners, sometimes with the Dobe, the other Rookies, or just themselves, as friends or on several occasions, dates. They were very casual, nothing too fancy for both their tastes, and it was fine for both of them. They made things official after a while, but only the observant ones knew. He stayed for 4 months, that time, before leaving once again. She smiled, though her eyes spoke her sadness. She gave him a hug. He smiled at her (in his own very Sasuke-ish way), returned the hug , kissed her where the diamond mark lie on her forehead – he can still remember the smell of her hair. Vanilla, surprisingly – and he gave her the same poke afterwards. He asked her to wait for him. Then, he was gone.

* * *

He might act selfish, he knew, for expecting her to wait for him every time he leaves. But he knew he had to take the journeys, so he asked her to wait, to wait for him. He doesn't have to ask anyways. She waited this long. She doesn't mind a little more waiting.

Sakura would often wander the streets in the winter weather, sometimes looking back on her footsteps, hoping to see someone like every other time that. There was no one there, but she didn't mind. She wrapped her jacket a little more tightly around herself to bear against the light snow. She missed him. She remembered the small walks they had, side by side in the autumn days, where his arm around her was the only thing she needed to keep away the autumn breezes. She looked up to the darkening sky where the setting sun was somewhere in the clouds, unable to defrost the cold condensations that increased by the minute. She'll endure, she knows, for spring is soon to come.

* * *

 _Cherry blossoms, huh?_ he thought to himself. He had stopped for a small break, just for a sip of water and lunch underneath the shade of a cherry blossom tree.

The cold of winter has left since a weeks back, and the expected warmth had just arrived as the first blossoms began its blooming. The trees have turned from their almost deathlike and barren state to branches of the light, but almost sweet smelling flowers. Their colours of cotton candy pink, and they looked as light and soft as well.

It reminded him of her. The breeze was gentle against his skin, carrying the scent of the nearby blossoms as well as its petals scraping against his cheek. It reminded him all too well of her. The softness of her touch sending his cool nature off, the smell - though different which he found rather amusing - of her blinding his senses, and her hair, so delicate under his hand that he could have almost thought it was made from the very falling petals from the spring flower.

 _Maybe I should have stayed until spring,_ he mused.

* * *

He came back after two years. He had wanted to return sooner, back to Konoha, where she is, but his certain promise to a stranger had taken him longer to fulfill than expected. But he was home now, where she is. He walked into her apartment, not bothering to knock, and announced his arrival. She welcomed him and enveloped him in a tearful hug. She then bombarded him with questions concerning his health and long absence. He silenced her easily with a kiss. She pouted like a child, but was soon talking inanimately once more, happy to see him back. He stayed for 21 months before heading out again; this time, accompanied by his wife. They returned a few years later with a black haired child no older than six months, much to everyone's surprise. He planned to stay for good, this time, for his wife and daughter. She looked very much like her mother, he would say to Sakura. The shape of her eyes, the nose, the forehead; even her mother's mad temper – 2am is just too early. But she looked like her father with the charcoal eyes, raven hair, and even the cool demeanor that a 6 month old shouldn't have. They were happy.

But he left once more, in search of a maybe threat. He had managed 2 years before leaving once more. Not knowing when he'll return, he gave his wife a kiss, and held her whilst she sobbed silently into his shoulder. He gave her a poke to the forehead before turning to his little girl to plant a kiss to her forehead (Sakura dubbed this Sasuke's forehead fetishes).

He left, but knowing for sure that there will be someone to greet him at home: his friends, his wife and his daughter. Departure seemed less painful now, for he knew that he's sure to see them again.

* * *

"I'm home, Sakura."

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun."

* * *

 ** _AND YOU SHOULD AND MUST BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT LAST PART WAS FROM THE SAKURA HIDEN NOVEL AND I JUST CANT EVEN RN BECAUSE I CANT READ JAPANESE AND NO ONE'S TRANSLATING ANYTHING AFTER CHAPTER 6 AND IM JUST HERE TRYING WAITING FOR YEARS AND YEARS FOR SOMEONE TO UPDATE AND TUMBLR IS SPOILING EVERYTHING FOR ME SINCE LAST YEAR._**


	3. Kalopsia (SW2016 participation)

**_A.N:_ My participation (for the first time ever) in Sakura Week. SO I forgot that SW came up, and didnt realise until Tuesday, and began to write then. But then this took so long (and school, dear lord) that I have only managed to post this on a Thurday (Wednesday on Tumblr though** )

Update 26/3/16: GLITCH IS FIXED.

Original post date: 25/3/2016

* * *

 **Prompt:**  
 **Kalopsia: the delusion of things being more beautiful than they are**

* * *

At the age of 8, Sakura already had a place in Sasuke's mind.

He saw her for the first time in the courtyard, hiding behind a blonde he vaguely recognised. The pink headed girl was dressed in a blue long sleeved shirt with triangles stylishly cut out at the biceps, accompanied by a pair of khaki. He noticed something different today. The girl he saw yesterday always had bangs covering up the damned forehead she hated so much. But today, hiding behind her newfound friend, the bangs were out of sight. It was a good improvement, he admitted. He can finally notice her face. But he would never admit to finding her features cute. It would bring him endless teasing from his mother and brother. And maybe his father might smile a bit too.

All a bit too 'romantically' involved for the likes of Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

At the age of 13, Sakura already had a place in Sasuke's heart.  
She was annoying. God, she drove him to the wall crying out to god to the unfairness of his situation when his team was picked. A know-it-all with zero combat skills, and a dimwit who acts too irrationally for Sasuke's liking. He can't really say much of the Dobe, however; Sasuke himself was probably no different. But in Sakura, he saw potentials. She could be so much better if she would just put down her hairbrush and twirl some knives.

And sometimes he wished he didn't expect things to happen, because then they do happen with the worst outcomes. In the Forest of Death, the surge of power he felt whilst under the first influence of the curse mark woke him. He sat up, finding the Dobe snoring away, and not far from them, a figure sitting on the ground. Shivering and ragged breathing. Red, in the centre a white ring. Above that was pink at a strange angle; muddy; tousled; and more red.

Red. The red of her shirt. Red. Like everything he saw. Like the colour of his eyes. Like the colour of her blood… like the blood of his parents never leaving the wooden floorboards, which has long turned into a dull shade of brown. Like the colour of the enemies' blood.

It was blood, he saw later on, out of his rampage. Blood splattered on the delicate cotton colour of her hair that he knew not of the source. He wanted to find it, and close the bleeding wound, wherever it was.

Sakura spoke to him softly, questioning his consciousness. Softly, delicately, worryingly, he can come up with at least ten more words to describe the tenderness in her voice. He looked up to her, finally seeing her after the haze of the battle.

Her hair: it was shorter. It tickled the back of his neck when she hugged him fearlessly to stop him from doing more harm. Littered on the floor were long strands of pink silk, unnoticed and uncared for. Ignored and given up by the girl with hair of cherry blossoms. Though her lips were cut, her side of her forehead was bleeding and bruising, as well as her arm, caked in blood and mud, he never saw more beauty. Her eyes were full of care and determination, and her lips pressed into a thin line in worry. She was slightly hunched over him; he can smell the dirt, sweat, and a tinge of metal off her. With her hair cropped, he could completely see her shoulders, quivering slightly, and her face, clear as day without the hair blocking his observation.

She has grown prettier, he knew. He saw the growth himself.

For a moment he thought he must have lost himself to some other dimension. He was in no condition or circumstance to be thinking of such. Yet he was, still. He thought she's maturing well, as well as grace and beauty. The bird who has finally prepared to take her fight out of the nest. The first quiet flap of the wings that he will see since a long time; he wanted to see her fly.

She smiled. A precious smile, a smile of the precious. Once upon a time, he would have given everything to see those smiles again.

* * *

At the age of 18, Sakura's place in both his mind and heart has hidden.

The battlefront was not a place for dreams of happiness, Sakura realised. His arrival at the battle was something she would have never expected, not after their last meeting. His eyes were void of colour and compassion then, despite the flower of red at the centre of his pupil and the polluted tears down his cheek. Her eyes were jade, brimming with liquid crystals. One hand armed with a blade of steel, soaked in a final plea in the form of venomous wounds, shaking at the final minute in front of his back. The other hand was a bird of light; charged, merciless and emotionless, aimed for the dust soaked cloak that hides the red that once meant so much. One striked in anger and loneliness; one cried in love and fear.

She was afraid. She has always been afraid for him. Ever since their first mission as a genin, to the forest where the blossom began to bloom, as well as all the years after his departure. She feared for his soul, which was almost consumed by the darkness that surrounds his past. She had never remembered it to be tainted. But like disease, if grew and grew as he fought back the temptation of the forbidden arts. And she knew he has long given up the fighting.

The man she saw then was not the same boy who she has loved in the past. He has given to the darkness, too weary to fight a battle that was brought on when he was too young and innocent to see it coming. For too long he struggled alone, reaching out for someone but no one was there. It was too late when she got there. He was already six feet under the cries of the dead and corrupted.

She will persevere. Though it may not be her hand that he will hold when he reaches out once more, she will be happy. Even if she herself will have to succumb to the quieter aspect of the dark that she had come so close to when he left. He could hate her even, and she wouldn't mind if it meant him walking in the light.

He was there, only a few steps away, faced towards the battlefield and back straight. Her heart clenched at the low rumble of his voice. It ached and bled invisibly inside her chest, almost forcing impulses through her bloodstreams to reach out and take him elsewhere, anywhere; away from the blood that they both saw too much on a regular basis. She could almost see the boy of her past that she loved too much, if it weren't for the circumstances.

She doesn't know where she stood in his life anymore.

* * *

At the age of 22, Sakura's place in Sasuke's mind was permanent.

They've been travelling for almost six months since last summer, and the winter were quick to approach at the small town on the outskirts of Amegakure. Though it never snowed in Ame during the winter; it continued to rain with the wind howling louder through the metal pipes of the skyscrapers, and the newfound mist of the season.

The war was devastating to everyone. They won with heavy casualties from all five nations, and like the previous war, the smaller ones suffered just as bad. Their grounds were never supposed to be a battlefield; people struggled through the day to earn a living in the Rain, and weather has never been great when diseases spread through the land.

Sakura kept herself busy, finding those who needed help and lending it without a second thought. Sasuke's duty, however, has reduced his duty from being lead, to bodyguard. He knew little to none of medical ninjutsu, which made him think of all the time that he has been saved by her hands. Her hands would hover then glowed in a bright green, her gem orbs focused and lost in the moment until her job is done. Then she would smile, and announce her completion.

For one person, it was easy; Sasuke never got anything worse than the loss of his limb. But when there's a herd of people lined up or sprawled across the floor begging for help in the dreadfully freezing weather, he knew that he would be absolutely useless; he'd be better running errands than try to stop someone's fever.

The entire morning he had been doing just that: running errands. Sakura's stationed at the local's only clinic, helping them get through the mass that lined up for checkups but not before kindly asking her companion to make a trip to the herbs and pharmacy place for some plants. He then proceeded to stay by her side from afternoon onwards.

The woman worked with efficiency he has never seen, despite his numerous visits to her office back in Konoha. The hitai-ate engraved with the symbol of her home gleamed under the fluorescent lighting, pulling excess bits of hair back from her vision. She was garbed in her usual sleeveless qipao dress and black shorts underneath a white lab coat that speaks authority without saying a single word.

Her chakra was pointed and precise to the smallest detail; blue flames probed on the tip of her fingers before it warped into a softer form which settled for dancing down her hand and to someone else instead. He watched in awe even after all the times he has seen her work up close upon himself. Sakura spoke softly to her patient who was seemingly quite frightened of something at the moment. Her glossy eyes held care for the person in front of her as she stretched her lips into a reassuring smile. He always thought she looked the most beautiful when she's passionate about her work. Perhaps he might have hallucinated a few times before because he swore he saw a goddess in her place, healing the wounded with a single magic touch and the quiet laugh.

They had takeouts that night and brought it back to the inn where they've been staying for the past two weeks – two dreadfully long and boring week, in Sasuke's opinion, though his ego would prevent from saying such. She was quiet through dinner, unlike the previous nights when she has animatedly told stories from the morning. Her eyes were always casted upon the ground, unwilling to look up to the worrying gaze held by him. He didn't understand why, but he hoped it wasn't because of him.

"Sakura."

"Hm?"

"Are you alright?"

"I didn't catch anything from my patients, if that's what you're asking."

"But are you alright?"

"She was silent for a moment, pondering at his intentions behind the question, "I'm fine, Sasuke-kun."

"Sasuke observed her every movement that evening. She was visibly fine, he was sure, but the sodden and depressed, almost guilty look she held in her looks, and her smile… she hasn't smiled ever since her shift ended at the clinic. A proper smile, that is. There were a few weak attempts that even the most hopeless in emotions like Sai could even see through.

She has no idea how much it pained him to see her like such.

* * *

It was a girl," she whispered to the pillow whilst her right hand sat across her stomach and her left spun around the chopped hair, occupying itself. Her subconscious turned itself away from the bitter truth that began to roll off her tongue, closing all its gates for her to escape.

There was a shift in the mattress as he pulled himself closer to her, pressing his torso to her back. _I am here, I'm listening. You can tell me anything_ , he said with silence. From behind, all he could see was her back, covered by the thin fabric of her thin black camisole that held her waist closely. She was stunning under the faint light of the moon from the window that made her figure almost glow.

He held her around the stomach, face burrowed under her mess of hair. She mostly smelled of the soap from the bathroom, but there was something in it that distinctly said Sakura to him. And like a drug, he was addicted to it.

She was five, I think. Couldn't be any older than that… She had a high fever, and she was in s-septic shock when her mother… carried her through the doors," her throat felt dry, and she couldn't breathe. It was as if someone was choking her, preventing her from confessing a crime that would bring her to her undoing.

I… I wasn't quick enough. There were clots everywhere, and her organs where shutting down one by one. And…" she stifled her cry, croaking her last words as she squeezed her eyes shut to stop seeing the little girl whose hand felt so cold in her's. But dreams lie under the eyelids, and they're much more vivid than the hallucinations in reality.

Sasuke listened intently, catching every hiccup that caught her voice. The words that she was so reluctant to let out that evening leaked from the tiniest crack in her wall. As light as he can, he turned her around to face him. She wasn't sure if she can stand his judgments of her failure in her best field. She didn't want to open her eyes, she didn't want to look into soul to see disappointment and the crows cawing in the background, reminding her of the life that they took with them.

Her body shook in grief and guilt as her eyes shed the tears that he had not seen since the end of the war. She shut her lids tightly and hid her face in his chest, hands clenching at the fabric of his shirt and curled up like a child into the safety of their parents. She cried because of her guilt, because of her stupid chakra capacity, because of her incapability to save a life that should have lived.

He held her close and rubbed her back in delicately in hopes it would eases the pain. Although it never worked on him, and he knew it won't work on her, he did it anyways. Anything to show her he was there. His chin rested on the top of her head, and his face remained impassive. They were pillars for each other. She was his when he was back in the home he doesn't know. He was her pillar when she lost to Death. They were each other's, locked in an embrace to shield whatever may harm may come their way.

She might not be able to read him sometimes, but he can read her, and even the subtext of the book. She has always been the obvious one. The one who openly shows their affections to those they meet, and maybe sometimes too much for his liking. But hers were pure. She loved too much. So much more than he would ever for a random stranger on the street. It was more than just because of her work to be compassionate. She is compassionate, to no matter the villain or hero. She loved wholeheartedly, purely, without restraint. It was something he had known and accepted since that night when he left her out cold on the bench. The girl had read him so well back then, who cared for him so unconditionally, who saw perfection in something so damaged it can't be fixed. He still doesn't understand how it was him out of every other man – especially when for years all she ever got from him was lies and anguish - that she has chosen to love. But he didn't question it. He was selfish in that way; never wanting her to leave his side, afraid of the smallest spark that will tear her from him. The smallest change in billions of reactions called emotions that would burn him to ashes. But she wouldn't do such; he knows she won't because he's still alive.

It made her beautiful, he saw. It made her _her_. He had always seen it somewhere within her since they were no more than toddlers to naïve to hold a kunai properly. Sakura is flawed... god, he is flawed. He had always wondered if it was kalopsia that gave him longing thoughts of her; but holding her so close to him, to be able to smell her, feel her, travel with her, he knows that anything but a delusion. She is flawed, she is soft hearted, and she's strong willed… she is with him, in the flesh. And he swore, if anything, she is the embodiment of strength and love, a goddess that rose by her own name.

The winter was cold, and the trees were barren, but after winter comes spring. And man has yet to see the cherry blossom fully bloom.


	4. So You Don't Hate Me?

**A.N:** **So I saw this prompt list on tumblr, and be damned who do or don't ask me to do these, I'm doing them anyways because IDEK, I just want to. And also because I can think of a billion different scenes for SS, and they'd all be adorable because SS is adorable af. And this went from drabble to a full fledge 3000 words oneshot.**

 **Probably my favourite fic that I've written so far.**

* * *

 **Prompt: "Come over here and make me."**

* * *

To say that the most normal day that Haruno Sakura has had being today makes that person instantly stupid. Especially when her reputation in being class president happens to just make her instant enemies with the one and only Uchiha Sasuke, who happens to have gotten on her bad side (again).

Why you might ask?

Uchiha Sasuke was known for being an A* student in all subjects, ranging from physical education to maths (of course she knew this. He's in her advance maths class, after all). All he needed then was the titles of class president and student council to complete his CV - which of course he lost to the one and only current class president. The boy held the looks of an aristocrat, handsome and cold, which makes almost the entire female population of the Academy fall to his feet. Excluding his class president, apparently. But of course we knew otherwise that deep deep deep down that the pink haired girl had a little something for her rival.

Uchiha Sasuke was notorious for being (in Sakura's words):

An asshole

A narcissistic bastard

Aristocratic son of a bitch

Asshead

Words relating to being an 'ass' and etc.

"You two again," Tsunade sighed at the pair of students sitting in front of her. "You know, as well owning the reputation of A* students, you two also owns the title of 'A* troublemakers.'"

"Tell that to him."

"Says the one who gave me a broken nose."

"And who took my phone and passed it between the basketball team for monkey in the middle, huh?"

"It''s not my fault that -"

"Silence!" The blond woman rubbed her temples. It was definitely far too early during the day for their arguments. "How many times have you two ended up in my office and yet you still don't see why?"

And as you may have noticed, these two constantly try to murder each other. Whether it be with their words, or actual fists

They turned their gaze away from woman. Her voice was anything but angry, just rather exasperated. But her eyes burned with white hot madness that sent the teenagers crawling to their mothers, hiding like five year old children.

"I will have your parents come up-"

Sasuke huffed amusingly - You can try - and painfully, due to his current injury given to him only a few minutes prior. He winced slightly as he held his still bleeding nose.

Tsunade almost glared at him, "I will make sure they speak to me, Mr. Uchiha, and as for you Ms. Haruno, I do not mind you knowing karate, but I do mind you using them against your classmates."

"But miss,-"

"No nothing. This is going under your record. Both of you. Now get him to the nurse, he's dripping onto my floor. Do yourself a favour and go to the nurse before you come to my office next time, would you?"

"I'll take myself, thank you," the boy slowly got up.

"Ms. Haruno, please escort him there."

Sakura looked up in surprise, "He can take himself, miss."

"I can take myself," Sasuke repeated, unwanting the 'nice' company.

"Take the boy who you punched in the face to the nurse, Haruno. No buts! Go. You're wasting my time."

* * *

"Urgh, where is that nurse?" Sakura groaned and paced the room. It was at least half an hour into the first period after lunch, and she wanted to go back to class (most wouldn't, but Sakura isn't most). First, because she didn't wanna miss her lessons, and second, because she currently just had to be stuck with the Uchiha she had purposely punched in the nose in the basketball field.

The named Uchiha - with his ever spiky hair and now very dirty and bloodstained shirt - sat on the cot against the wall. He looked around the room for things to interest him other that the wall in front of him. He had been in here numerous times. Sometimes due to sports injuries (blame Naruto), other times due to other's injuries (Naruto), and every once in awhile (meaning this time), he'd end up in here because a girl broke his nose… with her fist.

Embarrassing for the poor boy to be one up by a girl with pink hair - can't get any more feminine than that. He was pretty sure it's not her real hair colour ("Who would even get pink as a hair colour? It's just shouts 'weird' and 'oops i dyed it the wrong colour but can't get it off.'"), and others would probably think the same.

"Why don't you just go back to class? " He almost demanded at the impatient girl. Between you and me, he doesn't hate the girl. No, quite the opposite, even if he doesn't realise it yet.

She stopped her pacing, and crossed her arm, "I would if I could. The nurse needs to confirm I did my job."

"Why?"

"Because knowing you, you'd probably say I ditched you in the hallway to the principal," she huffed.

Sasuke shrugged, confirming the fact. He wouldn't do that, but her mentioning it made him think of such, and he is a crowd pleaser.

"Does it hurt?"

"What do you think?" He answered sarcastically.

The girl stopped pacing, and instead stood observing him. He could have sworn she was checking him out, with her dazzling green eyes focused and pointed, lips curling on one side, rumpled shirt that shows her somewhat existing chest and white-

What on earth am I thinking of, Sasuke shook his head, instantly regretting as he remembered his currently swollen nose, opting instead to look towards the ground. He would never admit that he was checking out Sakura - ever! - because it would surely kill his ego as well as build up hers to the point that it becomes uncontrollable. And he would never hear the end of it for days from Naruto and her.

He felt something cool on his face, and looked up to see the pink haired girl holding an ice pack. He must have missed seeing her get it, and he was surprised that she actually cared.

"Keep your head up, and put this on it," she handed him the pack.

"Thanks," he took it from her and pressed it to his nose. He was once again staring at her, her hair that came only to her chin, her small shoulders and arms that held such power to have pushed the rather painful punch. She's actually -

"What did I ever do to you?" Sakura asked, abruptly.

The black haired boy was brought from his daydreams to face the question that he didn't really understand. He made a face of confusion.

"What did I ever do to make you hate me?" She asked again, waving her hands in the air in defeat, as if she has given up on figuring him out. "I have been nothing but nice to you when we first met. I showed you around, I helped you get to know the class, I have done anything but be nice to you!"

"We met in third grade, and you're clearly different from what you were back then."

"But you're clearly the same cold and narcissistic bastard."

"And you're still annoying as ever, old hag."

"I don't get you!" She screamed in frustration. "You know I thought in a brief moment there when you were sitting there and holding your nose that you could actually be less of a devil's spawn, but clearly I was wrong!"

"Yeah, well get used to it," he shouted back,

"So you just hate me. That's it? No reason at all?" Sakura asked one last time, feeling all her years of patience wasted on an individual that simply hates her because she's Sakura.

He opened his mouth but said no words. He never really knew when or why he constantly wanted to argue with the girl. He just did. It was strange, and he had gotten so used to it that he only ever minded the arguments when they were arguing, not afterwards, or beforehand. He never avoided her sometimes just for the sake that they could talk in some way, and even purposely annoy her sometimes to get a reaction. He was dependant on her to keep him through the day because he now had an argument to look forward to at during his breaks. It felt strange when she had her days off as he would then have to find something else to do other than annoy her.

She was done with his jokes and arguments, however. She was sick of the tiresome cat and mouse game that led to nowhere, and she was determined to make peace with the mouse (No way in hell am I the mouse.) that apparently doesn't want to be friends with her. She was done. Peace treaty be damned, but she was tired, and let the cold war commence for all she cares.

She was already walking out of the room, despite the nurse being AWOL to report Sakura's duty done when Sasuke voiced his thoughts, "I don't hate you."

Sakura stopped, only turning partially towards him, "What?"

"I don't hate you," he repeated. He was absolutely lost on what to say next. It wasn't like he was taught to talk to girls (or Sakura) in situations like this, "I just…"

"You just what?"

"You were… are the smartest person in class, you're practically a walking human Wikipedia-"

"Excuse me?" Is that supposed to be a compliment?

"You're probably the only person worth arguing against in the entire class for your intelligence."

"What's your point?"

"My point is…" he sighed, flinging his free arm into the air in frustration at his constipated words, "My point is that maybe the reason why I fight with you a lot is because that's the only way I can ever actually talk to you."

In all ways that can the black haired boy can shock Sakura, she would never list this occasion under that list. Hide her bag behind a bush, check. Throw her phone to the basketball team, check. Hang her shoes in the tree, check. Flick her hair when she's doing work, check. Flirt to annoy, check. But never an actual confession in his very flustered and bruised state.

Maybe he's messing with me. God knows what's on his stupid mind.

She bursted out laughing.

And Sasuke swore he could just bury himself into the concrete floor to hide his flaming red ears.

"You're telling me, that the reason you hate me, is because you like me?" She said between breaths. "Man, do you actually expect me to believe that?"

The boy was deeply, extremely, and traumatically flustered, unable to respond to the slightest words she said. He could describe it as 'temporarily dying as the girl you like laughs at your face because you said you like her."

"You know what, I'm gonna leave a note here for the nurse. Then I'll leave," she grabbed a pen and jotted down something for when the nurse does return. Then, she once again made way to the exit, avoiding his gaze the entire time.

"It's not a joke," he stated.

"Really?" She turned to him, slightly sarcastic and sad. So maybe she did had a little hope that the Uchiha Sasuke actually liked her, and she might have been even a little happy and maybe proud that he actually noticed her. But she needed to know for sure, the degree to which his words were true.

"Then prove it, Uchiha."

"What?"

"Come over here and make me believe that you actually don't hate me. That you truly, honestly, crazily, and wholeheartedly like me," she exaggerated, batting her eyes at him in an almost mocking and teasing way. She almost regretted saying that, and she had no idea what to expect out of this. All she knew is that she wanted to know where they stand.

And to her surprise, he did get up, still holding the ice pack to his nose. He approached her, slightly wobbly on his feet, but no longer flushing madly. They stood next to each other, close enough to just feel each other's warmth and breath on their skin.

"You're so gonna regret saying that," he said. His voice were low, almost seductive, and she can see his a million dollar smirk already staring at her eye.

"And why is that? Surely you should know that -"

And she was stopped halfway through her sentence, cut off by his mouth on hers. And for once, Haruno Sakura can't think. Sakura was frozen stiff, unable to react to the slightest movements around her. Her mind was on complete shut down, and the only thing that she could hear was the quiet buzzing of the fluorescent lightings on the ceiling. But she could feel the heat on her face, despite the coldness of his iced skin. She was sure that her cheeks were redder than a tomato. She stared at him whilst he kissed her; his eyes were closed (she was acutely aware of how angelic the boy looked from this angle alone, excluding the swollen nose) and his jet black spikes brushed her forehead.

She could smell the sweat, metal and cologne at their close proximity, and she would have never thought of it to be so tempting. She tasted the metal from the blood that he must have previously gotten into his mouth, and feel his dry lips against hers. Are people's lips always salty? She doesn't know; it's not like she goes around kissing people.

And then he stopped, and she already missed the heat that engulfed her within the brief 2 seconds when their lips met. She was still staring at him like a deer in the headlight, cheeks turning rosier by the second. Sasuke could hear the pounding of his heart, and he could feel his ears reddening under her intense gaze. He did something that he definitely would have never thought of in a billion years, and he could practically feel his ego somewhat already diminishing by how vulnerable he had left himself ot her.

But she was beautiful, all her flustered state that seemed to make the jade in her eyes shine brighter. Her hair seemed to be the most natural colour in the world to him, then, fitting perfectly into the personality of the girl before him. Pink, like cherry blossoms that are so gentle, but managed through the harsh winters. Sakura was a fitting name and colour for the named girl.

"Umh…" Sakura started first. He was glad, because he was sure that he would have continued to stand there and be unaware of anything but her. Her gaze was on the ground, and the awkwardness was obvious in the air.

The nurse was still nowhere in sight.

* * *

A month later

"So, when are you gonna tell me that you went behind my back and dated Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke's obvious reaction to Naruto's bluntness was:

Choked on the water that he was currently drinking.

Be sure that the water that he's coughing/spitting out is aimed at Naruto.

Smacked the idiot at the back of his head.

"What are you? You might as well be telling the people on the other side of the city," Sasuke hissed at the blond who was currently hugging his head in pain.

"Says the one who straight up told me that they 'hated' Sakura and would 'couldn't even think about being with someone that annoying'," Naruto rolled his azure eyes.

That was the moment when Sasuke had to forcefully pull Naruto's neck down, cover his mouth and dragged him to a more secluded area than the classroom. Surely dragging your best friend down the corridor in a headlock would bring up suspicions, but when it came to the infamous Uzumaki Naruto, no one really suspects otherwise.

The sun viciously burned the rooftop with all its mighty heat of noon. Though it wasn't ideal to actually meet up there, it was the most private place that Sakura could think of, therefore it became a meeting spot for her and Sasuke, where they are away from the public's eyes, and free to speak.

Sakura was already there, under the roof of the small greenhouse installed only a year back by the Academy. The heat was just as scorching as it is outside, but she found that the trees can keep her company whilst she waited for him.

Every other noon, he would come alone, hands in his pockets and eyes pinching to block out as much of the sunlight as possible. That day, he came with a boy locked into forearm, thrashing wildly in mild annoyance and exaggerated insults until he was finally free from his friend's grasp.

"What's he doing here?" Sakura asked with all curiosity.

It was only due to Naruto's lack of perception that he had managed to finally notice the pink haired girl crossing her arm across her chest, sounding as if she wanted to blow his brains out.

"I'm awfully hurt that you never told me about this, Sakura-chan!"

"Tell you what?"

"Whatever the hell is going on between you and Teme! You're giving him googly eyes and you guys aren't even arguing -"

"Isn't it better that we don't argue? You've been complaining about our arguments since forever, Naruto."

"Yes! But then Sakura-chan! How could you go out with him? What about me?" Naruto joked, creating the most immature faces he can think of.

"What do you mean 'what about you'?" Sakura laughed. "And who told you we were dating?"

"It was obvious! Teme was all like nice and stuff to you, and the class in quiet for once, and Teme was - oof!"

The pink haired girl wrapped her arms around both of the boys' neck, pulling them down to her height, "Well, I don't think there's a need to hide things from him now eh, Sasuke?"

Sasuke gave grunt of disapproval to the blond who grinned as bright as the current sun (and he swore to god he needs sunglasses near the blond now). "So we're back then? The golden trio? Like Harry, Ron and Hermione?" Naruto smiled, happy at the day, happy for his friends.

Sakura gave a hearty laugh, "Sure. The golden trio!"

"So I'm Ron then? But then don't I get the girl?" The boy asked cheekily, raising an eyebrow.

"You're Ron, and Sasuke's Harry, but Harry gets the girl."

"What! That's unfair, Sakura-chan! You're not sticking to the storyline!"

"The author said that Harry's supposed to end up with Hermione, Usuratonkachi. Do you even read the news?" Sasuke said, as a matter of factly.

"What!"

They laughed, "Didn't you know, Naruto?"

"Argh, fine! Whatever. But do tell, how did you two ended like this?You were trying to rip each other apart only a few weeks ago."

"Umh. Actually - Sasuke!" Sakura began before being dragged into a sprint by the raven haired boy out of the greenhouse and down the stairs, ignoring the shouts of their 3rd companion.

"You know we could always tell him," she said as they rushed down the stairs, hands no longer entwined or they would both fall down the stairs.

Sasuke stopped to look up at the girl who he can legitimately call his girlfriend, with sweat running down the back of her neck, and hair sticking all over her face, breathing heavily. Even like this, she still somehow looks nice.

"What? Too afraid to share?"

"No. Too selfish," he smirked and raced onwards, leaving her gaping like a fish, then running after him merrily with questions in mind. They raced off down the stairs to the field where countless others notice the oddness of the sight. The 10A class president and the school's most adored were chasing each other, laughing and teasing with expressions that made the female population of the school almost burn in rage. It was beyond the couple's control now. But they were the A* student and class president, what do they have to worry about?


End file.
